Review of Fright Night (1985) by Bryan M — 08 Sep 2011

This was one of those rare gems that came out of nowhere in the mid-1980s. At a time when vampires were already past their sell-by date, already a joke, this film took them more or less seriously again.

The way it gets around using the cliches of vampire lore is to do what Wes Craven's "New Nightmare" and "Scream" would tackle later, or at least it uses a similar attitude. Its characters are aware of how hokey vampires seem to modern day audiences and poke fun at the conventions of the genre while still living through them.

Helping elevate the movie from just a goofy B-grade to something more memorable is a cast that brings the material to life. In particular are the performances of Roddy McDowall, as a washed-up low-budget horror actor reluctant to get involved, and the villain of the film played suavely by Chris Sarandon.

Unlike some outright spoofs of horror movies, this is fun while also maintaining a spooky atmosphere aided by some great special effects. Followed by a lesser sequel in 1988 and a solid remake in 2011.